


No Housecat

by QueerGirlTakeover



Series: CreampuffWeek [3]
Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, CreampuffWeek, Fluff, Hollstein - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-14
Updated: 2015-01-14
Packaged: 2018-03-07 12:44:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3174090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueerGirlTakeover/pseuds/QueerGirlTakeover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first and the last time they go to the beach together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Housecat

“I don't understand why you can't just tell me where you're taking me,” Laura said from the passenger seat. She'd been blindfolded for the past half hour of their journey – Carmilla wanted to make sure it was a surprise when they got there.

“We're almost there,” Carmilla told her with a smile. “Patience is a virtue.”

Laura crossed her arms. “I don't like it.”

“Aww, c'mon,” Carmilla said, reaching across to put one hand on Laura's shoulder. “You're gonna love it.” She made the last turn, then turned off the car.

“Are we there?” Laura asked, straightening up.

“Yeah but you still can't take that off. One moment.” Carmilla got out, the ran around to pull Laura out of the car. Laura stood somewhat unsteadily, hands reaching forward like she expected to walk into something.

“Carm?”

“It's okay,” Carmilla said, closing the door and taking Laura's hands. “I won't let you run into anything.” The ground wasn't smooth, and although it wasn't dangerously bumpy their progress was slow. Laura felt the ground slope downward, then begin to level out a little. Her sneakers began to sink a little and she stopped. “Just a couple more steps,” Carmilla said, tugging on her hands to urge her forward. Then Carmilla put her hands on Laura's shoulders, turned her a little, and pulled off the blindfold.

Laura blinked at the sudden reappearance of light and it took her eyes a few seconds to readjust. She stood on the edge of a beach, quiet and deserted. The sand streched out in front of her, still damp from the tide going out, and beyond it was the water. The waves made small sounds, hardly recognizable as waves at all.

“What do you think?” Carmilla asked, a little anxiously.

“It's beautiful,” Laura replied. “It's so peaceful.”

Carmilla smiled. “This is where I came when I needed to get away from Mother, or from the terrible things I was doing. It's like my safe place.”

“Wow,” Laura whispered, looking over at her. “Thank you for sharing it.”

“Always,” Carmilla said. She paused for a moment. “Do you want to swim?”

“Oh um, I don't think I have my swimsuit with me,” Laura said, anxiety creeping into her voice.

“C'mon buttercup, live a little,” Carmilla said, stepping backwards, towards the water. “You don't need bathing suits to swim.”

Laura turned the thought over. “But you're a cat,” she said, forhead creasing. “Cats don't like water.”

Carmilla grinned, baring her fangs. “I'm no housecat.” She began to grow and shift, fur fuzzing her outline. She looked with yellow cat-eyes at Laura, then turned and bounded into the water, sending sparkling drops everywhere. Laura smiled as she watched the panther splash around in the shallows, and prepared to join her.

–--

Carmilla stands on the beach again, the little silver urn light in her cupped hands. Laura had always been small, but this was a different smallness, an absent smallness. Somehow Carmilla had expected the urn to be too heavy for her to lift, to be weighted down with memories and pain, but there is no pain. There is only a quiet sorrow.

A hand on her shoulder reminds her of her purpose and she turns around to face Lafontaine and Perry, Danny and Kirsch, standing hand in hand behind her.

Carmilla can't seem to find the right words. Silence is the only thing that feels appropriate at the moment, but the right words would be silver and gold in the air and Laura deserves everything beautiful. “Laura loved this place,” she finally says. “She always said it made her feel peaceful, like nothing could go wrong here.” She finds her voice, finds the words, and looks down at the urn in her hands. “Laura, here you can always be at peace. Here you will always be safe and protected, and I will leave my love here with you.” Everything glitters around her.

She turns to the water and the others follow her, gather round as Carmilla opens the urn and reaches for a handful of ashes. They flow through her fingers like time, and float like memory when they land in the water. The others join her and Laura is left to her ocean and her peace and the ghost of a panther playing in her waves.

 


End file.
